Angkor, the ancient capital of the Khmer Empire in central Cambodia, is one of the most magnificent sites in Southeast Asia. This recently updated and expanded Approach Guide serves as an ideal companion for travelers seeking a deeper understanding of the art and architecture of this great Empire.

After providing a brief background on the history of Angkor, this Approach Guide lays out — on a feature-by-feature basis — the distinguishing characteristics of the Khmer architectural style. For each architectural feature, this guide provides a detailed description and a perspective on how it changed over time; and in some cases, to provide added context, it offers images of Indian structures that served as inspiration for the Khmer. Finally, to make it easier for the reader to visually identify key features, it includes high-resolution images with color highlights.

With the stylistic framework in place, it then offers detailed profiles of the top architectural sites in Angkor:
– Angkor Wat;
– Angkor Thom, with a special focus on the Bayon;
– Banteay Srei;
– Ta Prohm; and
– Neak Pean.

For each site, this Approach Guide provides information on its history, layout, distinguishing features, and relief decoration. The overall goal of these site profiles is provide the reader with what is most important, a framework for understanding the site and what makes it special.

Bali has become a top vacation spot for travelers from all over the world who often become enchanted with the island and return over and over.

In How To Find The Heart Of Bali, you will discover for yourself the passion that Bali has inspired in Western visitors for more than a hundred years. Kate Benzin is a highly experienced tour director who has lived in Indonesia for more than 30 years and knows the island as few other outsiders do.

As Ms. Benzin makes clear in her Introduction, this is not a typical guidebook and does not recommend specific hotels or restaurants. Rather,she gives great insight to the first time traveler to Bali so that he or she can experience a dream holiday in this iconic ‘tropical island paradise’ destination full of culture and wonder..

Note for Kindle users: This book has been specially formatted for the Kindle to provide you with the best possible reading experience.

Kinabalu: Summit of Borneo records the wonders of a mountain that has captivated generations of naturalists and scientists the world over. At over 4000 m, the highest mountain in Borneo, Kinabalu has been described as the â€œmost wonderful mountain in the world.â€ In this Sabah Society monograph, which updates and adds considerably to the original account in 1978, the environment, geology, plant and animal life, folklore, cultural significance, and conservation are given special treatment by an extensive suite of specialists. The monograph is augmented by a wealth of photographs, which bring this amazing mountain to life. The chapters are authored by a wide array of specialists who have made specific studies on this fantastic mountain or contributions to the conservation and management of the Kinabalu Park.

In a world with jumbo jets, microchips and artificial hearts architecture had appeared to have lost its wonder, but with the building of the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, now the tallest buildings on earth, this has changed and their construction has rightfully restored architecture as a world wonder. The towers designed by Cesar Pelli embody the greatest spirit of buildings that reach to the heavens, a spirit born of the American mid-West and now found all over the world. They also reflect the latest technology in making tall buildings, with modern materials such as stainless steel cladding which makes their spires glisten on the horizon. The design of the Petronas Twin Towers began with an international design competition. In June 1991, eight firms were invited to participate. The architects were asked to provide a general plan for the Kuala Lumpur City Centre and a more detailed design for two towers to be occupied by Petronas, the national petroleum company of Malaysia. The Petronas Twin Towers were expected to define a gateway, “a place that people can identify as unique to Kuala Lumpur and Malaysia.” It was never discussed that the towers should become the tallest buildings in the world, only that they be beautiful.

As Singapore has prospered, so have its streetside hawkers. Today, your typical refurbished hawker food centres are multi-million-dollar affairs, such as the Adam Food Centre, renovated in 2001 for $1.74 million, or Newton Circus, reopened in 2006 after a $4.8m makeover. And so comes Singapore Hawker Centres, a coffee-table book encapsulating these ‘people, places and food’ that’s heavy on trivia and light on criticism. Geography professor Lily Kong’s heroic prose – both historical and heartstring-tugging – will leave you nostalgic for your favorite, maybe forgotten stalls. This commission by the National Environment Agency, the governing body of hawker centres, comes at a time when the high-maintenance food court has mushroomed, overtaking its non-air-conditioned sibling in efficiency and convenience. There are numerous interviews and case studies of nuclear families, first- and second-generation hawkers, geriatric table cleaners and entrepreneurial hawkers such as Ya Kun Kaya Toast from the 1960s, culminating with the conclusion that modernization and progress are inevitable. Soon, even hawker centres could become multidisciplinary venues that incorporate exhibition spaces and meeting halls. Photos accompany the stories, and a very clear message runs through the book: family bonding over food is important.